DNA Criminal Justice Panel Prepares for First Meeting

The use of DNA in Missouri’s criminal justice system is getting a special look by a legislative committee. The committee is fueled by a mix of technology and popular culture. St. Louis Representative Connie Johnson, who heads the special committee, says crime-fighting television shows rely on technology to achieve justice. She says the general public expects real world crime investigators to do the same thing. She says various organizations have been exploring DNA’s role in the justice system and now it’s time for lawmakers to hear the accumulated expertise. The first committee meeting is next Monday in Columbia. A second hearing will be two days later in St. Louis. The committee cannot afford to have a hearing in Kansas City or anywhere else. Johnson says there might be some legislation discussed next year – a bill was filed in the last session about DNA evidence. But she says it will be only one step in addressing DNA in the justice system.